John w



(No Model.)

J. W. FOSTER.

' SWIFT 0R REEL.

110. 554,620. Patented Peb. 11, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. FOSTER, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOSTER MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SWIFT OR REEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,620, dated February 11, 1896.

.Application led .T une 12, 1893. Serial No. 477,263. (No model.)

T0 CLZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. FOSTER, of Westield, county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Swifts or Reels, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a Specificatiomlike letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

The swifts or reels in common use present a series of wooden bars arranged between spiders, and the skein rests on these bars. In practice it frequently happens that the skein slips on these bars, to the inj uryof the thread. To Overcome this difficulty I have provided the swift with a series of friction-plates covered preferably with cloth or some suitable non metallic substance-as, for instance, leather-which will not injure the thread. I have also provided novel means for adjusting these plates to thus readily adapt the swift to a skein of any desired size.

Figure l, in elevation, shows a swift or reel embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a section in the line x, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detail of one of the plates removed; and Fig. 4, a sectional detail in the line Fig. 2.

The swift-axle a receives upon it a divided or two-part hub b b', preferably suitably chambered (see Fig. 2) to receive a spring h2 which acts normally to separate the halves of the hub. Next this hub the axle receives upon it loosely the individual spiders c c, and outside the spiders the axle has applied to it journals or blocks cl d, which are fixed to the axle in suitable manner, as by pins d. The spring b2 acts to force the parts of the hub outwardly against the spiders, composed of bars, and thus clamp the spiders firmly. The bars of the spider have a series of holes, as 2, and between the bars I have arranged at suitable distances cross-girths e, fastening them by screws e'. The holes 2 not occupied by the Screws e' are ada ted to receive the lugs of the locking devices f', made as springarms, said locking devices being attached to the bars f2. (Shown as composed of wire and as having end loops f3 to fit over the bars c.) The bars are enveloped by the friction-surfacef4, preferably cloth, and preferably the bar is about One-half of an inch wide, so as to enable the friction-surface to present a face of some width, which acting against the skein will create sufficient friction against the thread of the skein to prevent the skein slipping on the swift.

To provide a drag or friction to prevent the swift running faster than required for the proper delivery of the thread, I have encircled the hub by a strip g, preferably Of metal, on which is hung a suitable weight g'.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A swift or reel having an axle, spiders composed of a series of bars loosely mounted upon the axle, an expansible hub which by its expansion separates and holds the spiders against journals secured to the axle outside the spiders, and skein-supports having broad flat faces provided with friction-surfaces and having locking devices to engage the spiders, substantially as described.

2. A swift or reel having spiders composed of a series of bars loosely mounted on the axle, a two-part spring-expanded central hub also loose on the axle, and journals secured to said axle outside the spiders, said spring pressing both parts of the said hub one away from the other and against the inner sides of the inner arms of the spiders, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN WV. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

LOUISE ELLIOTT, A. F. LILLEY. 

